A Bunch of Flowers
by Katy-The-Platypus
Summary: After a delivery run gone wrong young hobbit Rose Spinner finds herself among a company of dwarves. Led by Gandalf they offer her shelter for a night. The one promised night turns into many and it's not long before Rose is leaving the shire behind. With the safety of her loving family behind her Rose finds herself drawn to the dwarf who's constantly saving her life. Bofur/OC
1. Chapter 1

Rose Spinner was the eldest of four children belonging to Posco and Marigold Spinner, the proud owners of one of the best pubs in the Shire; The Bear's Ball. It didn't have the best name, but it had belonged to Rose's great-great-great grandfather and Posco didn't have the heart to change it.

Rose was a small hobbit, standing tall at 4"9. She had inherited her thick, white-blonde hair from her father, her curved figure from her mother and her dark brown eyes were similar to her Grandma Pepper's. She worked evenings in the pub and spent the day patching up her younger brother's clothes. Once a month she'd take the evening off and was sent over to The Prancing Pony to pick up deliveries. She didn't like making the journey as some of the people she met along the way weren't the nicest of folk. They were men, drunk from their gambling and night out. Fortunately her cousin Finnie made the trip with her. Finnie was 50, six years older than Rose, and acted a lot like a body guard when Rose had to visit Bree. It was a half-day's journey both ways and the two hobbits always arrived late evening, the worst time in Rose's opinion.

It was no exception one later summer evening in May. They had loaded up their cart in the courtyard outside the Prancing Pony and Finnie had taken the reigns, leading them back down the country lane. The two were talking quietly to each other, focused on the road ahead and not the road behind. The owner of the Prancing Pony had told them about thirteen dwarves, a hobbit and a wizard which had been by not an hour before in search of some provisions.

If Finnie and Rose had been looking behind then they would have noticed the three men following them. However the drunkards were upon them before either could see them coming. "Get off me!" Rose cried, batting away a pair of hands. Other set grabbed at her, pulling her from the horse. "Let me go!" her vision was filled with a man's blue waistcoat. The smell of whisky flooded her senses, making her gag. The man had not been sober in a long time.

"Let us go you flea-ridden maggots!"

"_Maggots?_" the man holding Rose laughed. "'ere, David, you 'ear that? The best they got is 'maggot'!"

Hobbits were usually peaceful creatures and had no need for insults. 'flea-ridden maggots' had been the best thing Finnie could think of. "She's got a sharp tongue, though!" another chortled. "Could be put to good use, I suppose."

"I reckon Mistress Maude would get 'least five pennies an hour from this one." A third said. "What 'bout yours, Bryn?"

"I recons three and hour." Rose realised what they were discussing and began to struggle again.

"Three? She ain't worth that!" David laughed.

"She's strong!" Bryn objected.

"And she's got a pretty fa- OW!" the third man let out a howl as Finnie sunk her teeth into his hand.

"Run!" Finnie cried, pushing between the men and dragging Rose from the path. "Run!" Rose hooked her skirt up over her knee and took off through the grass.

"Look here, boys! We got ourselves a chase!" Bryn of the drunks called, laughing harshly.

"Aye! I call the red one!" the unnamed man laughed. Rose picked up speed, stumbling after her cousin.

"The dwarves!" Finnie muttered, pulling Rose behind a tree. "If you're lucky, they won't be farther than Chetwood. Get to them and stay with them until daylight."

"What about you? Finnie, I'm not leaving you!"

The other hobbit laughed. "I'll be fine, I've dealt with this sort of thing before. Be as fast as you can and don't stop for anything. Good luck!" Finnie squeezed Rose's hand reassuringly before darting from the tree. She caught the attention of the three men before hurtling off in the opposite direction to the way Rose was going. Rose herself counted to ten before running towards Chetwood. She didn't dare look back but the voices of the men were fading. Finnie's taunts still cut through the night, leading them back towards Bree.

Rose made it into the woods a few minutes later, panting and with a tight chest. She wasn't used to running and doing so in long grass and a skirt didn't make it any easier. "Right. Now, which way?" The path was a few feet to her right so she decided to make for that.

She didn't get very far and let out a terrified scream as something grabbed her around the waist, fingers tearing small holes in the waist of her shirt. "Fast little bitch, aren't you?" it was Bryn. "Still, the pretty ones are always worth the chase. Maybe Mistress Maude will give me you as a prize."

"Help! Somebody, help me!" Rose doubted that anyone would hear her. The dwarves were probably long gone and there would be no one else around to hear her.

"No use in screaming." The man smirked, tugging Rose towards him and turning her so he could look at her face. "No one's gonna hear you no-ah!" he let out a pained scream, releasing Rose and stumbling backwards as an arrow embedded itself in his shoulder.

A second person grabbed Rose and she tried to struggle free. "Get off me!"

"Watch it, lass!" her captor released her instantly. "I'm only trying to help ye!" Rose spun to find herself face to face with a dwarf wearing a funny hat. Another dwarf, one with a bow, appeared at her side. He readied another arrow in his bow and raised it. He never fired it as the drunk ran off cursing into the woods. The two dwarves were then joined by eleven other dwarves, another hobbit and a wizard.

Rose didn't recognise the wizard but he seemed to recognise her. "I do hope your father didn't send you to Bree by yourself, Miss Spinner!"

"No, sir, he didn't." Rose eyed him wearily. "It's why only one of the three men was chasing me."

"Who else was with you?" the wizard questioned. "Come now, Miss Spinner, you can trust me."

"Forgive me, sir, but I do not even know your name."

"Bless me! It seems that all hobbits are the same!" the wizard exclaimed. "It seems I must visit the Shire more often for your kind to remember my face. I am Gandalf."

"Oh!" Rose exclaimed, now recognising him. "So you are! My apologies, Gandalf, it has been some thirty years since I last saw you! I was barely fifteen years old!"

"Indeed you were." The wizard chuckled. "You have also grown as I predicted you would, too. Now, who was it you were with?"

"My cousin, Finnie."

"Ah yes, Miss Braybell. Well, I daresay your cousin will be fine. However you will have to stay the night in our company."

"I will?"

"She will?"

Rose and one of the dwarves (one wearing a fur-lined coat) spoke at the same time. "Of course she will!" Gandalf exclaimed. "Would you have her wander through the woods on her own at night?" the dwarf remained quiet. "I thought as much. Now, Rose, allow me to introduce you to the members of our company; Oin, Gloin, Ori, Nori, Dori, Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, Fili, Kili, Balin, Dwalin, Thorin Oakenshield and Bilbo Baggins." Each dwarf bowed respectfully except for Thorin. Bilbo nodded his head and offered Rose a smile.

"Thank you for coming to my aid." Rose addressed Kili and Bofur. "If you had not come when you had I dread to think what might have become of me." The two dwarves waved off her thanks but didn't say anything.

"We must return to camp." Thorin stated, already moving through the trees. "We leave at sun rise. You had best be ready to head back by then, Miss Spinner."

"Don't worry about him." As they began to head back to camp Bilbo Baggins came to walk with Rose. "He's not overly fond of me either and he's stuck with me!"

"Why is that? If you don't mind my asking."

Bilbo shook his head. "It's a very long story and if you wish to pass the night in sleep I shan't tell it to you. Now, Gandalf called you Rose Spinner?"

"Yes, daughter of Posco and Marigold Spinner."

Bilbo laughed. "Posco Spinner, owner of The Bear's Ball?"

"The very same."

"Well, I'll never!" Bilbo smiled. "Quaint little place. I must visit more often. I think that if I return I shall come and have a drink there."

"Customers are always welcome." Rose smiled, not questioning Bilbo's 'if'. "You're a Baggins of Bag End, yes?"

"Correct."

"Well, it's lovely to meet you Bilbo."

"And it is lovely to meet you too, Rose."

The dwarves led Rose back to a make-shift camp where a small fire was crackling quietly. "Dwalin, return to watch. Bombur, tend to the fire. Bofur, see to our guest." Thorin barked. Rose had a growing distaste for the dwarf, a feeling she did not often harbour.

"This way, miss Spinner." Bofur led her over to a small area filled with bedrolls. He motioned for her to lay down on one but she eyed him wearily. "I'm not gonna harm you." He smiled gently.

"Who does the bed roll belong to?" Rose asked quietly.

"I beg your pardon?"

"The bed roll. You can't be carrying a spare one."

"It's mine." Bofur smiled. "You can use it for the night."

"No, thank you. I can sleep on the moss. I don't want to be a hindrance after you saved me tonight."

"Don't worry about it." Bofur waved a hand. "I'm used to sleeping on the ground."

Rose didn't have time to argue as the others joined them, settling themselves down for the night. Rose found herself using Bofur's bedroll despite her protests. She was tired and desperately needed to sleep, but she was still shaken from the earlier events. Across the way Thorin and Gandalf were talking in hushed tones. The dwarf looked unhappy about something but the wizard merely shrugged him off. Thorin turned and stormed back to the others, turning his glare on Rose. She quickly rolled over, not wanting to think about the angry dwarf for now. Come tomorrow it wouldn't matter anyway.

* * *

**A different start to my normal stories but hey, I don't think it turned out that bad! **


	2. Chapter 2

Rose was woken the following morning by Bilbo shaking her shoulder lightly. "Rose? Rose, wake up." With bleary eyes Rose managed to rouse herself and sit upright. "I thought you might want to wake before Thorin realises you're still sleeping."

"What time is it?"

"About an hour after dawn." The hobbit looked as exhausted as Rose felt. "We're leaving in half an hour." Rose nodded, getting to her feet and rolling up the bed roll. Bilbo took it to return to Bofur, leaving Rose to herself. She ran her fingers through her hair in attempt to rid it of the tangles. She eventually gave up, searching out Gandalf.

"Good morning, miss Spinner!" he greeting cheerfully. He was sitting on a log smoking his pipe, a smile on his face. "How may I help you?"

"I was wondering if you could possibly point me in the right direction." She asked sheepishly. "I've never been so far this side of Bree before and never in these woods. I'm afraid that I have no idea of which way to go."

Gandalf chuckled. "I could tell you which way to go, or I could ask you to join us."

"You will tell her which way to go." Thorin barged past, holding several water flasks. "She's _not _coming with us."

"I rather think that's my decision, don't you?" Gandalf smirked, a twinkle in his eye. "Miss Spinner has an adventurous streak in her, quite a large one if she takes after her father as much as I believe her to."

"Adventurous streak or not she's going home."

Rose sighed and smiled up at the wizard. "It's best if I did go home; I'm in a skirt after all!" she laughed, motioning to her attire; a red frock with a white undershirt. A small red band pinned back her hair. "Not something to go running across fields in."

"That never stopped you as a child." Gandalf pointed out with a gentle smile. This was true. As a young lass Rose had gone on many 'adventures' in various frocks. She'd made it several miles at one point before her mother had chased her down with a broom and several sharp words.

"That was some thirty years ago." Rose smiled. "No, I think it is best that I return home. I don't wish to intrude in your company or anger Master Thorin further." The dwarf grumbled something but Rose didn't quite hear.

"Tell your father that I will visit you soon." Bilbo said with a firm smile. "Good luck on your way home."

"Good luck on your quest, Bilbo Baggins." Rose quickly said her goodbyes and turned to stumble back through the woods.

Gandalf called after her, stopping her in her tracks. "You throw away my outside and cook my inside. You then eat my outside and throw away my inside. What am I?"

Rose turned to look at him with a frown. "I beg your pardon?"

"It is a riddle, my dear child. Do you know the answer?"

"Yes; you're an ear of corn."

Gandalf nodded. "If you feed me I will grow, if you water me I will die. What am I?"  
"Fire."

"What's black when you get it, red when you use it and white when you're finished with it?"

Rose frowned. "Is there a point to all of this?"

"Do you not know the answer?"

"Of course I do! It's charcoal!"

Gandalf nodded. "Then it is decided. You are to come with us, Miss Spinner." There was a collective 'what?' from the group of short people surrounding him. "You shall come only as far as the Trollshaws unless asked to stay longer by Thorin."

"Unlikely." The dwarf muttered.

"It will be most satisfying for me to have someone to talk to who can hold a half decent conversation. Welcome, Miss Spinner, to the company of Thorin Oakenshield."

The company was suddenly all abuzz, Thorin barking orders and talking quietly with Gandalf. The others were strapping their packs to a small collection of ponies and hoisting themselves up onto them. Bilbo looked very uncomfortable on the back of his horse. He was sniffing and had sneezed several times. Rose moved to stand by his side, holding out a small handkerchief. "Thank you." Bilbo smiled gratefully. "I'm afraid that I left Bag End in such a hurry that I forgot my own handkerchief!"

"It's quite alright. I always carry a spare."

"Miss Spinner!" Thorin called across the camp. "Find yourself a partner. We leave immediately." He hoisted himself onto his pony, the others mounting theirs.

"May I?" Bofur trotted up behind her, offering her his hand. "It's either me or Fili 'n' Kili." Rose glanced across at the two young dwarves who were bickering and shoving each other.

"Thank you." Rose accepted his hand with a smiled, sliding onto the pony. She sat in front of him, hands clasping the pony's mane lightly. The ponies moved off in single file, quickly finding the road. Rose glanced back only briefly. What would her father be thinking? Her mother would be worried out of her mind. Her cousin would think her dead or worse and would never forgiver herself. But they all knew how adventurous she was. They would figure it out. Finnie wasn't stupid; she'd know that Rose would be with the dwarves.

The dwarves were quite a cheerful bunch. The majority of them sang as they travelled or involved themselves in storytelling. Rose could only remember a few names but Bofur took the liberty of explaining who everyone was as they travelled. "You know who Gandalf his so we'll skip him and start with Thorin."

"There's a reason he's so grumpy I take it?"

"Aye. Thorin Oakenshield, son of Thrain, son of Thror, King Under the Mountain."

"Oh. Oops."

Bofur chuckled. "Don't worry about him too much. There's not much he'll do to you except glare and yell. Unless you're Fili 'n' Kili. Then he might have a go at you. They're his nephews, sons of his sisters and a pain in the neck."

"What about the one with the axe in his head? Bidur?"

"Bifur."

"Right. What happened to the poor dwarf?"

"He fought with us at the battle of Azanulbizar, where an orc tried to kill him. He lived, but he can't really talk anymore. He's a good toymaker though and a dwarf I'm proud to call my cousin."

"What's an orc? And where's Asulnibar?"

"Azanulbizar," Bofur corrected. "is the valley below the Great Gates of Khazad-dûm in the Misty Mountains. We fled there after Erebor was attacked by Smaug the terrible but the orcs had gotten there first. Before you ask again, orcs are ugly, horrible creatures. They have black, hairless skin and stand taller than us. If you ever come across one, run as fast as you can in the other direction."

"Who's Smaug and why did he attack Erebor?"

Bofur sighed, realising that Rose knew very little about the world outside of the Shire. "Well, Smaug is a dragon. Think 'furnace with wings'." He began, resigning himself to telling Rose everything she'd need to know about the quest she'd been signed onto.

* * *

They stopped for the night at Weathertop, one of the tallest hills in the Shire. They sheltered at its base where the wind and the worsening weather would be kept from them. "Bombur, get the fire started. Oin, Gloin, watch the ponies. Bofur, find something for Miss Spinner to sleep on. That does _not _include your bedroll." Thorin ordered before the others had even dismounted their ponies.

"Don't worry too much about him, lass." Balin smiled gently when Rose had been left on her own. "He's like that with most people. Poor Master Baggins is going through the same treatment."

"It's not like I chose to be here." Rose sighed, untangling the pony's mane. "I'm just not up to arguing with a wizard."

"It's not long until we reach the Trollshaws then you'll be on your way again. I assume you'll have a way of getting home?"

Rose nodded. "There's a small human community that lives in Tharbad. They come up Mitheithel every other month to deliver to the Prancing Pony. They should be arriving at the same time as us. We should meet them at the Last Bridge if we make good progress. If not then we will meet them on the road."

"How can ye know so much about geography but so little about history?" Bofur asked, returning to her and the pony.

Rose laughed. "I'm the daughter of an inn owner, not the daughter of a historian. I'm taught the route of traders, not the path of heroes."

"How far does your knowledge extend?"

"As far as the Misty Mountains. Hobbits rarely venture over them and we don't receive trade from the Eastern Lands."

"How far do your trades extend?"

"As far South as Lond Daer and as far north as Fornost. There's a small settlement in Eregoin who will occasionally trade."

"And yet I mentioned Smaug and you were oblivious." Bofur chuckled. "Come, my brother has dinner ready then we will set out your bed."

Dinner consisted of lots of meat and little vegetables. Bilbo managed to find some apples for the two of them after dinner, but the dwarves turned their noses up at them. Rose only ate about six meals a day (compared the usual seven) but she'd abided to the dwarf eating rules for the day; breakfast, a light lunch and dinner. "I've packed a sack of apples for tomorrow." Bilbo assured her with a smile. "Dwarves don't eat much."

"Ever thought we just eat too much?"

"Nonsense!" Bilbo scoffed. Neither you nor I are unhealthy. Now, I believe Bofur's set up a make shift bed for you next to mine. Come along or else Thorin will have our head for disrupting the night watch."


	3. Chapter 3

_Sorry about the stupidly long wait, but I'm trying to get through my Thorin/OC story first._

* * *

They awoke the next morning to a light rain. It was heavy enough to put out the fire and dampen their spirits but not heavy enough to impair their sight. "Will you ride with me again today?" Bofur asked.

"If you will let me." Rose replied. Bofur nodded and helped onto the back of the pony.

"Won't be long lass. Just need to pack up." He turned to help his brother destroy the fire pit and any trace of their camp.

"Curse this rain." Bilbo huffed. "It shan't fall when we need it to cover our tracks."

"I don't think it's possible to control the weather, Bilbo." Rose sighed, glancing up at the falling rain with squinted eyes. "If there was such a being that walked this soil then they would be very rich indeed."

"As rich as the dwarves of Durin's Folk." Bombur said with a passing wink. He scrambled (somewhat undignified) onto his pony. Bofur managed it with a little more dignity.

"Ready to go?" He reached around rose, picking up the reigns.

Thorin gave the signal and they moved off, leaving the clearing behind them. "Keep the noise to a minimum." He ordered. "We don't want any distractions."

"Bet you wish you had a thicker cloak now lass." Rose turned to find that Gloin was trotting beside them.

"I wasn't planning on staying out overnight." Rose smiled thinly, pulling her thin drape tighter around her shoulders. She shifted so that she was sat side-saddle. It wasn't particularly appropriate but it meant that her skirt covered more of her legs.

"We'll give you a spare one of ours when we stop." Gloin offered. "Might stop any more men chasing after you."

"I'm sure the thickness of her cloak has nothing to do with that." Bofur rebuked with a shark frown.

"Didn't meant to suggest that it did." Gloin apologised. "I merely mean that if they mistake you for a dwarf at first then they might hesitate."

Bofur thought about it for a moment. "Aye, you might be right. We'll seek one out for ye when we next stop. You'll freeze before night otherwise."

Rose nodded gratefully. She rain had succeeded in soaking her cloak and it was beginning to seep through her blouse. She was reluctant to breach the boundary of her newly formed friendship with Bofur by leaning against him, but he was supplying the warmth that she was lacking. "Is there nothing you can do about the rain, mister Gandalf?" Oin called grumpily from the pony in front an hour later.

"I cannot command the weather, master dwarf." Gandalf snapped. The cold and the wet seemed to be getting to him too. "If you wish for a wizard to control the weather then go find one who can."

"Are there others?" Bilbo raised his head, water dripping from his nose.

"Other what?"

"Wizards."

"Of course!" Gandalf chuckled.

"Are they great wizards or more… more like you?"

Gandalf turned on his horse to eye Bilbo wearily. "We're all great in our own ways. Now, who was there? I've forgotten the name of two I'm afraid, but there's Saruman the White who is the chief of the five of us. There's me and there's Radagast the Brown who dwells in the forests and prefers the company of animals to people."

"I can understand why." One of the dwarves muttered, but Rose couldn't identify who it was.

Thorin stopped the ponies briefly at Balin's request so that the white-haired dwarf could check the positions of his saddle bags. Gloin and Bofur took the opportunity to locate the spare cloak and give it to Rose. "It won't be warm right away." Bofur apologised as she slipped it on as carefully as she could without hitting him in the face.

"It's fine, thank you." It was a little large on her and the sleeves easily covered her hands. She didn't want to roll the sleeves up and expose some of the lining to the weather.

"We can dry your other one on the next fire and pack it into one of the bags should the sun ever reappear."

"Oh, cheer up!" Bilbo sniffed, wiping his nose. "It's only been raining for a few hours. We've been blessed with fine weather this summer."

Rose smiled inwardly. "It'll be doing the gardens back home good."

"Indeed." Bilbo nodded. "My roses will look splendid. Do you have flowers back at your home?"

Rose nodded. "We have our family namesakes."

"Are you all named after flowers?" Bilbo inquired.

"My mother, my sisters and I are yes, though my middle sister is rather a plant than a flower. My mother is named for my grandfather's prise marigolds. They were the colour of the setting sun and his garden was covered in them. My mother and I used to sit among them every summer and watch the clouds go by."

Bilbo smiled. "And your sisters?"

"Daisy is the eldest after me. She's just turned thirty six. She has a far fairer face than I and many people believe our names should be changed. She has for more expression than I could ever hope to have."

"Like the many colours of the rose."

"Exactly. The next is Ivy. She's still only twenty nine."

"What a strange name for a family of flowers."

Rose shrugged. "It's quite fitting should you know her. She seems to be everywhere at once and is quite nice in small doses, but unbearable for long periods of time." She smiled, calling her sister's fair face to mind. "She can be overbearing at times."

"Do you have any more siblings?"

"Just my young brother, Saradas. He's to take over the inn once my father retires, but he's only twenty one."

"What will they be thinking about your departure?" Bilbo inquired. Rose paused. What _would _her parents think? Her parents would probably be worried sick. Daisy would be taking over her role as head barmaid and would collect the deliveries with Finnie. Her cousin would have recounted her tale several times and many may blame her for Rose's disappearance. Ivy was probably spreading rumours about her sisters untimely death, or even the idea that she had gone off with one of the mysterious dwarves (this was partially true). Her brother would be defending her name, but secretly wondering if he could get word to her. "Forgive me, perhaps I should not have asked."

Rose smiled at the hobbit. "It's fine. They'll be worrying, is all. My father will be cursing that he's just lost a barmaid too."

Behind her Bofur chuckled. "Will Ivy have to take your place?"

"My father may try to persuade her, but I doubt he'll have much luck. She's normally off playing in the fields. It's a terrible business trying to keep her fixed on a single task."

"She sounds like a Took." Bilbo laughed.

Rose nodded. "I think she might be some long-lost cousin of yours." She jested.

"You hobbits are a funny lot."

"I could say the same about you dwarves!"


	4. Chapter 4

The rain had stopped by the following morning, leaving everything smelling of damp earth. It reminded Rose of her mother's flowerbeds, lining the path to their front door. Her mother tended to garden once the rain had passed because it made the soil softer and easier to tend. While Rose was quite happy with the turn of weather, some of the dwarves were still complaining.

"Oh, curse this mud!" Dwalin growled, wobbling precariously on the back of his pony as the animal stumbled in the sticky soil.

"You're never happy." Rose observed with a smile. "First it's too wet, now it's too muddy. At least the rain has stopped, can't you be grateful for that?"

Dwalin grunted but didn't grace her with an answer.

"I quite like the morning after rain." Bilbo stated. "Smells fresh."

"I agree."

Rose had chosen to share a pony with Bilbo that morning, allowing Bofur to have more room. Two hobbits could easily fit in the saddle, but a dwarf and a hobbit were a bit of a squeeze. It also seemed far more dignified and socially acceptable to ride with a member of the same species.

_Not that my mother's social expectations apply at this point_. Rose thought with a light frown.

They rode until late afternoon when they came across an old, run down house. It was more like two and a half stone walls and three roof tiles, but Thorin called the company to a halt. "We'll camp here for the night. Fili, Kili, look after the ponies. Stay with them. Oin, Gloin."

"Aye?"

"Get a fire going."

"Right you are!" Oin clapped his hands, sliding from his pony. "Wood!" he and his brother headed off a little way to search for suitable material to light while Thorin followed Gandalf to the run down house.

"Down you get, you two!" Fili took the reins from Bilbo. "We're gonna need that pony."

Neither were very elegant dismounting; Bilbo had never spent much time on a horse before and Rose was still in a dress.

"We'll need to get you more suitable clothing." Bofur observed as Rose made her way towards him. "Can't do much in a skirt. You'll need a weapon too."

"How far do you think I'm going with you?" Rose laughed. "I'll be leaving in a day or so."

Bofur hummed, searching in one of the packs attached to the pony. "Here." he held out a small dagger on a belt. The metal of the blade was still clean and free of scratches. It was set into a wooden handle with an intricate design of swirls and circles. "Put that on. Even if you don't use it it'll make you look more dangerous."

Rose laughed as Bofur showed her how to attach the weapon. "I hope I'll never need it, but thank you."

Bofur was about to respond when Gandalf stormed past.

"Where are you going?" Bilbo called after him.

"To seek the company of the only one around here who has any sense!"

"And who's that?"

"Myself, Master Baggins!"

The dwarves watching him go, looking a little offended.

"Come on, Bombur, we're hungry." Thorin called from the ruins.

Bombur nodded, collecting his bags and making his way to the fire Oin and Gloin had successfully started.

Night had fallen by the time the food was ready to serve. Bofur produced fifteen wooden bowls and began to serve the soup whilst fending off Bombur. Rose wasn't sure what was in it but it still tasted quite good. "Bombur's a fantastic cook." Nori said as he seated himself on the log next to Rose. "Probably how he got so large!"

Rose chuckled, knowing the comment wasn't meant in a harsh way. From what she had tasted of Bombur's cooking it was certainly a good quality. He gave her grandmother a run for her money.

"Bilbo, stop looking so worried!" Rose smiled at Bilbo as he passed her, carrying two bowls for Fili and Kili. "Gandalf will be back before we leave tomorrow."

Bilbo didn't answer as he continued on his way, but chewed his lip nervously.

"Not bad stew, Bombur!" Oin called across the fire. "I've had worse!"

"Aye, Dori could've made it!" Nori laughed next to Rose.

"Hilarious." Dori grumbled one log over from Rose. She laughed alongside the others, but made sure that Dori wasn't actually upset before doing so. The last thing she wanted to do was anger him or hurt him.

Bilbo had still not returned by the time the remaining company had finished eating and were gathering their bowls. "I'm starting to think Bilbo may have gotten lost." Rose frowned, glancing towards the woods as she handed her bowl to Bofur.

"Now who's worrying?" Nori nudged her arm.

"There's a difference between a hobbit and a wizard." Rose pointed out. "Maybe I should go look for him?"

"You'll stay here." Thorin ordered from across the fire. "The Halfling needs to learn to stand on his own two feet."

Rose bit her tongue, unwilling to anger the dwarf. What could she possibly say to sway his mind? If she got up and left regardless of his orders then he'd either fetch her back or leave her to the mercy of whatever foul creatures roamed the woods at night.

There was a commotion on the path leading towards the company and the dwarves leap to their feet, brandishing their weapons. "Trolls!" It was Fili and Kili. "Trolls!"

"They took the horses!"

"Bilbo's gone to get them!"

The dwarves paused for a just a second before running down the path after the brothers. "Stay here!" Bofur ordered Rose as he ran past. The hobbit was lifting herself to her feet but stopped when the dwarf passed her.

Rose sat back down on her log, annoyed at being left behind. At the same time she knew that there was nothing she could do to help. Just because she'd been given a dagger didn't mean she knew how to use it. To pass the time she gathered all the bags and put out the fire. No point attracting unwanted attention. She waited for an hour and when the dwarves didn't return she went to investigate. She had a terrible feeling that she'd left it too long to go searching for them.

The path leading to the troll's fire wasn't hard to follow. They'd uprooted trees and left large footprints in the soggy mud when they'd taken the ponies. Smaller footprints were alongside them, that of the dwarves. Pausing at the sound of voices, Rose could just make out three of the creatures through the thick foliage. Three large shapes were illuminated by a large fire which threw the shadows into the surrounding wood. She made her way to the right on the tips of her toes, dropping to crawl through the bushes as she got closer.

"They're infected with parasites!" Rose stifled a laugh as she got near enough to see the dwarves. The protests of the dwarves were enough to mask the sound of her wriggling through the bushes. There was a large rock behind those still on the ground and an overhanging bush that would allow her to reach Thorin and Balin without being seen. If she could cut them free they might be able to get the others out.

She was able to reach Thorin just as he kneed Kili and Oin in the back for messing up Bilbo's plan. As they tried to right their wrong Rose shuffled closer to Thorin. "Mind your neck." She whispered as she slid her sword between the fabric of the bag and he skin, sawing through his bindings. He nodded his thanks as he was able to reach the knife in his boot and move his arms. Rose wasted little time and made her way to Balin, repeating the process.

Thorin had just about freed himself when Gandalf reappeared. "The dawn will take you all!" the light of dawn suddenly flooded the clearing, bathing the trolls in sun and turning them to stone as they tried to flee.

A cheer went up from the dwarves. Those on the ground began to wriggle frantically as Thorin and Balin cut them loose. "Give us a hand!" Ori called from the spit above the fire. He and Dwalin were directly above the still blazing fire.

Rose ran to Bilbo, cutting him free before the pair headed to the fire pit. Gandalf had managed to put out the flames and was waiting for them. "You two climb up and cut the ropes. I'll help them down."

The dwarves on the spit praised the two hobbits as they climbed nimbly to the top of the wooden structure. It took a few minutes for them to work out which rope would be best to cut. They eventually located the one which would allow those on the top to wriggle free and those on the bottom a slow decent.

Bilbo and Rose sawed through the rope together, helping Dori and Bofur from the top of the wooden pole. "Told you that knife would be useful." Bofur grinned as he dropped to the ground.


	5. Chapter 5

"Let's go!" Thorin's order shattered the peaceful chatter that had settled over the company.

"Go? Go where?" Rose glanced around at the various dwarves who were gathering in small groups and getting ready to head back to their camp.

"The trolls couldn't have moved in daylight." Bilbo explained, carefully picking his way over to Rose and Bofur. "Thorin believes there could be a cave nearby."

"So we're going to go _looking _for it?" Rose raised an eyebrow.

"We have to get our things and find the ponies then we'll be on our way!" despite still being covered in a sticky substance and having been tied in a sack, Bilbo Baggins was still very happy. If Rose was being honest with herself, it was creeping her out.

"What _exactly _are you… ah… covered in?" Rose asked, a little worried about the answer.

"Troll snot." Bofur said happily, moving to clap Bilbo on the shoulder before thinking better of it. "Time to round up the ponies!"

It took them nearly two hours to locate all of the ponies and bring them back to their camp. "Saddle up!" Thorin ordered, already on his horse. He watched the two hobbits with a disapproving look until they were seated on their various ponies. Rose was sharing with Bofur again, having no desire to share with Bilbo until he was cleaned of all troll body fluids.

"The cave won't be more than an hour away." Gandalf informed the company as they made their way back to the troll camp. "They wouldn't have moved very far in short periods of time. You should smell it before you see it."

"How comforting." Bilbo muttered.

"We need to find ye a stream. Or ye know, a lake." Bofur chortled. Bilbo glowered at the dwarf and he quickly sobered. "Ah, forgot ye don't like large bodies of water."

"Did you bring a spare change of clothes?" Rose asked hopefully. The hobbit had his own bag so surely he'd have some form of clothing?

"I have a spare shirt." He nodded .

"You'll have to change when we locate the cave. I shan't share a pony with you until you have!"

Bofur laughed behind Rose, twitching the reigns in his hands.

They smelt the cave before they saw it. The slight breeze carried the faint smell of decomposing flesh and a rather ripe toilet. "Up ahead!" Dwalin called. He nodded forwards and Rose followed his line of sight, locating a large opening in a rock face not far away.

The company dismounted, Thorin leading a small party into the cave. Bofur followed him, grabbing Nori as he passed.

"You best change your shirt." Rose smiled at Bilbo. "There isn't much we can do for the rest of you, but at least that will be clean."

Bilbo nodded, taking Rose's advice and disappearing behind a rock with his bag.

"So, you're to leave us tomorrow?"

Rose's head snapped up at an alarming rate. Fili had manifested himself in front of the small hobbit, his head tilted as he observed her. "I beg your pardon?"

"You'll be leaving us tomorrow. To join the part of humans heading back to the shire?"

"Oh. Yes. Yes, I suppose I am." Rose hadn't given it much thought. She knew that she was to return once they cleared the Trollshaws, but she'd fooled herself into thinking she had more time. How long had they been in the woods? Two, three days? It certainly made sense that they'd be nearly clear of the forest.

Fili was still watching her closely. "You're okay with leaving?"

"Of course! Why shouldn't I be? I'm a hobbit of the Shire and that's where I belong. Whilst I admire Bilbo's courage at joining the company, my place is at my father's inn." The words which came from her mouth seemed meaningless. Whilst there was truth in them Rose found herself wishing she could stay. It was an absurd idea. She hadn't been with the company any longer than a week. That was hardly enough time to get to know everyone and to trust them. Especially seeing as dwarves weren't the most trustworthy race in Middle Earth. At least, that had been what her grandmother had always told her. Having seen the way they interacted first hand, Rose was inclined to disagree.

When Rose looked up again she realised that Fili had left. Feeling a little silly for not realising the dwarf's departure she went in search of Bilbo. She found him talking to Gandalf near the cave entrance, a small sword in his hand. "I'm afraid there was nothing of your size in the cave. Bofur's dagger will have to do for now." The wizard apologised.

"Think nothing of it." Rose waved him off. "I shall depart tomorrow so it does not affect me."

"Indeed." The wizard hummed.

The wind seemed to pick up, the bushes on the ledge above them rustling with more vigour. "Something's coming!" Thorin's voice cut through the clearing, bringing the dwarves to their feet. "Gandalf!"

"Hurry now!" the wizard took control from the dwarf, drawing a sword Rose hadn't realised the wizard had owned. "Arm yourselves!"

Bilbo unsheathed his new sword, holding it uneasily. Rose tugged him over to the company, unwilling to be left out in the open. She hung back from the front of the group where Bilbo had been involuntarily placed, knowing she would be pretty much useless against whatever came through the bushes. As it was what came through the push was nothing more than a raggedy man a half a dozen large rabbits.

"Radagast the Brown!" Gandalf exclaimed, something close to job in his voice. He stepped close to the brown wizard and drew him away from the company.

"That's a coincidence." Bombur commented, a smile on his face. "What do you have there?" he nodded to the sword in Bilbo's hand.

"It looks like a letter opener." Dwalin grunted, pushing past them.

"That's half the size of me." Rose smiled slightly. "Some letter opener."

"You're just ridiculously short." Bofur chuckled, ruffling her hair. His hand stilled, still atop her head, as a low, blood curdling howl tore through the air.

"Was that a wolf? Tell me that was a wolf. Are there wolves out here?"

Bofur slowly withdrew his hand, holding the staff of his mattock tightly. "That was not a wolf."

The howling shifted into a low grown which seemed to originate form directly above them. Rose swallowed hard as she turned, large brown eyes settling on a humongous grey shape on the ride above. It lunged, landing on the mossy ground in front of her before launching itself over her head and into the middle of the dwarves. Rose caught the smell of rancid meat on its fur as it brushed the top of her head. It bowled Dori over before Thorin could cut it down. "Kili! Bow!" he yelled as members of the company pressed themselves against the surrounding rocks. A second, darker beast hurtled down the rock behind Thorin but it was cut down in mid-air. "Warg scouts! An orc pack cannot be far behind."

"Orc pack?" Bilbo's eyes widened to the size of saucers.

Gloin swore under his breath, jumping down to ground level and pushing Rose close to Bofur. "Stay close to him, little hobbit." The red-headed dwarf warned.

"You're being hunted." Gandalf said grimly. "By whom I do not know, but we have to leave now!"

"We can't!" Ori exclaimed in despair. "The ponies have bolted!"

"I'll draw them off!" Radagast said with determination. "These are Rhosgobel rabbits! No Gundabad Wargs can outrun these rabbits!"

Gandalf nodded without a second thought. "Move now! Quickly!" be herded the company in the opposite direction to which Radagast went, leading them towards the south-east exit of the woods. Bofur pushed Rose in front of him so that she was running alongside Bilbo as they burst from the woods.

At some point Rose had drawn out Bofur's dagger, clutching it tightly in her hand. She forced herself to put it back in her belt, knowing it would do her no use. If she tripped and fell then she'd stab herself. If she tried to throw it then she'd likely impale a dwarf rather than her intended target. No, she was better without the knife.

"This way!" Gandalf called, urging them to run faster. The ground was uneven and ridiculously hard to run on. Even with her feet Rose found that her ankles kept trying to give out. She was determined not to trip. If she did then she was as good as dead.

Looking up revealed that more of the large beasts had joined the hunt and they weren't that far away. Thorin changed their direction, pulling Ori who was a little too slow to realise the new change in direction. He led them past a large rock, skidding to a halt and motioning for them to step back against the stone. Bofur's arm snaked over Rose's chest, keeping her pressed against the rock.

A low growl sounded above the company, shaking the air and their bones. Kili moved slowly, careful not to make any sound as he loaded an arrow into his bow and lifted it to his shoulder. He stepped away from the rock face and spun around, leasing his arrow as he did. Though it was a good shot which caused warg and orc rider to tumble over the edge, it wasn't good enough to kill either of the beasts. The orc's howled echoed through the air until Thorin slit its throat. Kili buried a second arrow in the warg's skull, effectively silencing it.

"Too loud." Rose murmured.

Something in the air shifted and none of the company needed to look to see that the hunting pack was making their way towards them. "Run!" Thorin ordered.

What little sense of stealth the dwarves previously had vanished as they pushed themselves forwards. Bilbo and Rose reached for each other, grabbing each other's wrists. Rose's legs were starting to ache and her breaths burned her lungs. She'd never been one for sports, choosing to indulge in seven meals a day rather than a run through the village. She was starting to regret her choices now.

"We're surrounded!"

The two hobbits skidded to a halt as they realised that Fili was right; there was nowhere else to run.

A large rock stood in the middle of their circle and that was where Rose round herself cowering. Kili leased his arrows and Ori tried with his slingshot, but they barely dented the numbers.

"This way you fools!"

Rose jumped violently as Gandalf appeared out of the rock next to her. He grabbed her arm, pulling her down a wide chute to loose shingle below. Bofur hit the ground after Gandalf, rolling to the side and pulling Rose with him. "You alright, lass?" He asked worriedly as Bilbo and Balin joined them.

"I'm fine." Rose insisted, shuffling back as more dwarves joined them. The cave they found themselves in was large enough to stand so they did so, pressing back at the blare of a horn and the thudding on hooves.

They waited with baited breath as they listened to the sound of arrows cutting through the air. "Elves." Thorin snarled. How he guessed such a thing was beyond Rose, but Gandalf's silence confirmed it.

"There's a path! Do we follow it or not?" Dwalin had started down a narrow, rocky passage at the back of the cave.

"Follow it!" Bofur called eagerly, surging forwards. "After you." He allowed Rose to go first before falling in behind her.

* * *

_I'm sorry for any mistakes, but I'm very tired. I also apologise if Rose is spelt 'rose' as my computer doesn't pick up on it and I'm not perfect at checking my work. I'm also sorry if 'Rose' changes to 'Aire' at any point. I'm alternating between chapters for this and An Unlikely Company so I do apologise! _


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